Tape dispensing mechanism



g 12, 1952 J. w. CUTTER 2,606,682

TAPE DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 16, 1949 James W Cufier' INVENTOR.

A, ATTOR/VEXS Patented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,606,682 TAPE DISPENSING MECHANISM James W. Cutter, Larchmont, N, Y.ApplicationiDecember 16, 19.49, SerialNo. 133,327

8 Claims. a 1 The present invention relates to tape dispensingmechanisms and embodies, more specifically, a tape dispensing mechanismby means of which adhesive tapes may be dispensed from a roll or othersource without involving any operation in which the fingersnecessarilyadhereto the adhesive of the tape. The difficulties of using adhesivetapes, such as the tapes commonly known as IScotch tape, are well knownand almost invariablyinvolve operations in which the fingers'adhere tothe adhesive side of the tap. These operations have also frequentlyresulted in the adhesive side. of the tape adhering accidentally toanother portion thereof, and thus causing a difficult and disagreeableentanglement of adhesive portions of the tape that are intended to beapplied to the surface :to which it is desired to apply the tape. inorder to avoid the above and numerous other disadvantages that are wellknown to those who have ever1used adhesive tapes of this character, thepresent invention has been made, and an object "of the invention is toprovide a dispensi-ng mechanism for tapes of the above character-whereinthe tape is dispensed without invol-ving the disadvantages of adheringto the fingers, accidentally adhering to other portions of the tape, orto other surfaces than the surface against which the tape is intended tohe applied.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter wherein the tape is maintained at all times in a conditionready to be dispensed so that it may be immediately and effectivelyapplied against a desired surface without requiring contact of thefingers against the tape. I

Yet another advantage of the invention is to provide a device of theabove character wherein means is provided to apply the tape to anydesired extent of a surface without requiring contact of the fingersagainst the tape at any time.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter wherein any desired length of adhesive tape may be applied toadesired surface by using only one hand.

Other and further objects of the invent-ion will be apparent as it isdescribed in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, with the cover removed,showing a device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation, taken from the left in Figure 1,and showing a portion of the casing cut away and in section toillustrate the operating mechanism within; a

Figure 3 is a view in isometric projection showing the operatingcomponents of Figures 1 and '2;

Figure 4 is a detail View illustrating the manner in which the pressureroller is mounted;

I Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating the manner in which theshearingmechanism of Figure l operates; and c Figure 6 is a partial viewillustrating the manner in which the tape is fed from the device duringthe initial operation thereof.

Referring to the above drawings, acasing is illustrated at I0 and isprovided with ahandle H and an open bottom portion I2. The casing isadapted to receive a roll of adhesive tape 13 upon a spindle M, a spooll5 being mounted on the spindle to receive the roll of tape 13. Theextremity of the tape is illustrated at [6, and the manner in which thisextremity is manipulated will be described presently.

The bottom portion or opening of the casing it is cut away, as indicatedat H, in order that the periphery of a pressure roller 13 may beexposed, as illustrated in the drawing. The pressure roller l8 may beformed of rubber or any other suitable yielding material, the specificmaterial of which this roller is formed constituting no part of theinvention. The pressure roller l8 is mounted upon a shaft I9 and, ifdesired, a disc 20 likewise provided thereon. A friction disc spring 2|bears against the disc 20 in order to resist rotation of the disc on theshaft l9. The disc spring ill may be formed with aplurality of pressurearms 22 that engage against the side of the casing ill, the disc 2|thereby being urged against the disc 20 to provide the desiredVfri'ctional drag to resist rotation.

Upon thespindle M, a bell crankvlever 23 is journalled. This lever isprovided with a trigger 24 that extends through an opening 25in thecasing l0, and also with an actuating armor cam 26 that is adapted tobear against an arm 27 that is pivoted upon a spindle 28 mounted'withinthe casing. A spring .29 normally urges the arm 2? against the cam 2'6and, upon movement of the cam in a counter-clockwise direction, the arm2'5 is moved in a clockwise directionabout its spindle 28, thusactuating a link 30 that is pivoted at 34 to the end of arm 21, and alsopivoted at 32 to a pressure plate 33. Pressure plate 33 is mounted upona spindle 34 that is pivoted to an arm 35 that is formed upon the discor plate 26. In' this fashion, movement of the link 30 downwardly uponclockwise rotation of the-arm 2'l causes the pressure'plate 33 to bemoved about its spindle 34 until a pressure rib 36; formed along thelower extremity of the plate 33, en-

gages the extremity N5 of the tape as it rests upon the periphery of thepressure roller l8. Continued downward movement of the link 30 causesthe pressure roller l8 to turn in a clockwise direction about its axis[9, and the tape is thus pulled from the roll l3 and advanced until itsextremity is exposed, as is illustrated in Figure 6.

In operation, the spring 2| exerts a drag on the disc 20 and thus on thearm 35 and spindle 34 to cause the rib 36 to be advanced against thetape upon initial actuation of the trigger and to be retracted from thetape upon return movement of the trigger.

The completion of the downward movement of the link 30 brings the partsinto the relation illustrated in Figure 6, at which time the tape isplaced against the surface to which it is to adhere, and the pressureroller l8 applied thereagainst. By advancing the casing to the right, asviewed in Figure 6, the pressure roller I8 continues to remove the tapefrom the roll 13 and apply it along the surface as long as th casinglllis moved to the right. During this operation, the pressure plate 33with its rib 36 is relaxed, and thus does not interfere with the removalof the tape. This relaxation is caused when the tape is drawn over theroller I8 because of a, tendency of the rib to adhere to the tape duringsuch movement. When the rib finally breaks away from the tape, itsposition of relaxation is spaced from the tape.

In order that the tape may be severed when the desired quantity has beenremoved from the roll, a shear plate 31 is provided at the periphery ofthe pressure roller i8, as illustrated in Figure 6, the plate beingsecured at one end to the side of the casing, and at the other end to anarm 38 that is secured at 39 to the extremity of the spindle l9 and isformed with an arm 40 and a lateral extension 4| that is secured to theside of the casing. The bell crank lever 23 is formed with a downwardlyextending shearing arm 42 that carries a cutter blade 43 which, whenmoved in a clockwise direction upon release of the trigger 24, cuts orshears off the tape lying over the shear plate 31. This operation isillustrated in Figure 5.

The casing 10 is provided with a cover 44, having a' U-shaped flatspring 45 that engages under a head 46 formed on the spindle l4. spring45 thus serves both as a latch for the cover 44, and as a frictionelement acting upon the spool I5 to prevent back-lash thereof uponmovement of the trigger 24 in opposite directions.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theaccompanying drawing, it is not to be limited save as defined in theappended claims.

I-claim:

1. Atape dispensing device, comprising a casing, means in the casing forsupporting a supply of tape, a pressure roller supported by the casing,a trigger carried by the casing, a .pressure plate adapted to engage thetape and hold it against the roller, a supporting arm, means to pivotthe pressure plate on the last named arm, a cam arm on the trigger, anarm pivoted on the casing and actuated by the cam arm, a link betweenthe pivoted arm and the pressure plate, a stationary cutter platemounted adjacent the roller, and a movable cutter blade carried by thetrigger whereby, when the trigger is actuated, tape will be dispensed 2.A tape dispensing device, comprising a cas- The ing, means in the casingsupporting a supply of tape, an opening in the casing, a pressure rollerjournalled in the casing with a portion of its periphery extendingthrough the opening, an arm coaxial with the roller and extending beyondthe periphery of the roller. a pressure plate pivoted on the arm beyondthe periphery of the roller and having an edge adapted to engage theperiyhery of the roller upon pivoted movement of the plate, a linkpivoted to the pressure plate, an actuating arm pivoted to the casingand to the last named link, and means for operating the actuating armwhereby, when the means for operating the actuating arm is actuated,tape will be dispensed.

3. A tape dispensing device, comprising a casing, means in the casingsupporting a supply of tape. an opening in the casing, a pressure rollerjournalled in the casing with a portion of its periphery extendingthrough the opening, an arm coaxial with the roller and extending beyondthe periphery of the roller, a pressure plate pivoted on the arm beyondthe periphery of the roller and having an edge adapted to engage theperiphery of the roller upon pivoted movement of the plate, a linkpivoted to the pressure plate, an actuating arm pivoted to the casingand to the last named link, a member pivoted on the casing and formedwith a cam for operating the actuat ing arm, and means to operate thelast named pivoted member whereby, when the pivoted memher is actuated,tape will be dispensed.

4. A tape dispensing device, comprising a casing, means in the casingsupporting a supply of tape, an opening in the casing, a pressure rollerjournalled in the casing with a portion of its periphery extendingthrough the opening, an arm coaxial with the roller and extending beyondthe periphery of the roller, a pressure plate pivoted on the arm beyondthe periphery of the roller and having an edge adapted to engage theperiphery of the roller upon pivoted movement of the plate, a linkpivoted to the pressure plate, an actuating arm pivoted to the casingand to the last named link, a member pivoted on the casing and formedwith a cam for operating the actuating arm, means to operate the-lastnamed pivoted member, and cutting mechanism actuated by the said lastnamed pivoted member whereby, when the pivoted member is actuated, tapewill be dispensed.

5. A tape dispensing device, comprising a casing, means in the casingsupporting a supply of tape, an opening in the casing, a pressure rollerjournalled in the casing with a portion of its periphery extendingthrough the opening, an arm coaxial with the roller and extending beyondthe periphery of the roller, a pressure plate pivoted on the arm beyondthe periphery of theroller and having an edge adapted to engage theperiphery of the roller upon pivoted movement of the plate, a linkpivoted to the pressure plate, an actuating arm pivoted to the casingand to the last named link, a bell crank lever'pivoted on the casing, acam arm on the bell crank lever to operate the actuating arm, and atrigger on the bell crank lever whereby, when the trigger is actuated,tape will be dispensed.

6. A tape dispensing device, comprising a casing, means in the casingsupporting a supply of tape, an opening in the casing, a pressure rollerjournalled in the casing with a portion of its periphery extendingthrough the opening, an arm coaxial with the roller and-extending beyondthe periphery of the roller, a pressure plate pivoted on the arm beyondthe periphery of the roller and having an edge adapted to engage theperiphery of the roller upon pivoted movement of the plate, a linkpivoted to the pressure plate, an actuating arm pivoted to the casingand to the last named link, a bell crank lever pivoted on the casing, acam arm on the bell crank lever to operate the actuating arm, a triggeron the bell crank lever, and cutting mechanism on the bell crank leverwhereby, when the trigger is actuated, tape will be dispensed.

7. A tape dispensing device, comprising a casing, means in the casingsupporting a supply of tape, an opening in the casing, a pressure rollerjournalled in the casing with a portion of its periphery extendingthrough the opening, an arm coaxial with the roller and extending beyondthe periphery of the roller, a pressure plate pivoted on the arm beyondthe periphery of the roller and having an edge adapted to engage theperiphery of the roller upon pivoted movement of the plate, a linkpivoted to the pressure plate, an actuating arm pivoted to the casingand to the last named link, a bell crank lever pivoted on the casing, acam arm on the bell crank lever to operate the actuating arm, means tourge the actuating arm against the cam arm, and a trigger on the ballcrank lever whereby, when the trigger is actuated, tape will bedispensed.

8. A tape dispensing device, comprising a casing, means in the casingsupporting a supply of tape, an opening in the casing, a pressure rollerjournalled in the casing with a portion of its periphery extendingthrough the opening, an arm coaxial with the roller and extending beyondthe periphery of the roller, a pressure plate pivoted on the arm beyondthe periphery of the roller and having an edge adapted to engage theperiphery of the roller upon pivoted movement of the plate, a linkpivoted to the pressure plate, an actuating arm pivoted to the casingand to the last named link, a bell crank lever pivoted on the casing, acam arm on the bell crank lever to operate the actuating arm, means tourge the actuating arm against the cam arm, cutting mechanism on thebell crank lever, and a trigger on the bell crank lever whereby, whenthe trigger is actuated, tape will be dispensed.

JAMES W. CUTTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,019,719 Maynes Mar. 5, 19121,196,796 MacLaurin Sept. 5, 1916 1,257,009 MacLaurin Feb. 19, 19181,437,841 Hart Dec. 5, 1922 1,921,625 Link Aug. 8, 1933 2,100,652 ShimerNov. 30, 1937 2,192,634 Blomquest Mar. 5, 1940 2,452,584 Luebkeman Nov.2. 1948 2,486,470 Fritzinger Nov. 1, 1949 2,487,351 Marsh Nov. 8, 19492,493,502 Renne, Jr. Jan. 3, 1950 2,511,857 Fritzinger June 20, 1950

